Symi on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Symi can be done on a modest budget: a careful day costs about €75 per person (bed €35, food €25, sights €10, transport €5), plus the ferry from Rhodes.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €35 | €70 | €140 |
| Food & drink | €25 | €45 | €80 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €25 | €50 |
| Local transport | €5 | €10 | €30 |
| Per person, per day | €75 | €150 | €300 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Symi day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk the harbour of Gialos, with its clock tower and neoclassical houses
- Climb the Kali Strata to Chorio
- The Kastro at the top of Chorio, with views over both harbours
- Sunset from the windmills above Chorio
- The coastal walk to Nimborio
- The path from Pedi to Agios Nikolaos beach
Cheap eats
- Cheese or spinach pie from a Gialos bakery, about €2.50–4
- Fish at a Pedi taverna from the boats moored in front
- Stuffed vine leaves and salad shared at a back-street taverna
- Symi shrimp plate, about €15–20, shared as a starter
- Coffee and a local sweet at a harbour café
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in rooms in the back streets of Gialos, at about €50–90 a double (roughly €25–45 each when sharing). There are no hostels or campsites.
Getting around cheaply
Walk and use the minibus between Gialos, Chorio and Pedi (about €1–2). Taxi boats reach the beaches. Ferries from Rhodes cost about €20–35 each way.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Gialos harbour walk and the Kali Strata to Chorio (free)
- Lunch: Bakery pie and coffee, about €6
- Afternoon: Kastro views, then the minibus down to Pedi and a swim
- Evening: Sunset at the windmills, dinner at a back-street taverna, about €20
- Total: about €75 including a shared room
More ways to save
- Come in May, June or September for warm sea and lower room rates.
- Book rooms early: there are few on the island and day-trippers do not stay overnight.
- Swim at Pedi and Agios Nikolaos on foot to save on taxi boats.
- Carry water on walks; kiosks are few outside Gialos.
- Have your main meal at lunch away from the harbour.
- Buy herbs and spices at the harbour shops as cheap, light souvenirs.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can I visit Symi on a budget?
Yes with care: about €75 a day per person, staying in the back streets of Gialos and walking to Pedi.
Is a day trip from Rhodes worth it?
It shows you the harbour but is rushed; staying a night lets you enjoy the quiet evening and morning.
What is free on Symi?
The harbour, the Kali Strata, Chorio, the Kastro views, the windmills and the walks to Nimborio and Agios Nikolaos.